


Creation, Destruction, and Stories

by hellfire37



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dreamtale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Alternative Universe - Errortale (Undertale), Alternative Universe - Inktale (Undertale), Angst, Gen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, The Creators, Violence, alternative universe, most ships won’t be the main focus, thank error, this is gonna be focused on error and inks dynamic but romance is not promised
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28334022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellfire37/pseuds/hellfire37
Summary: The Multiverse has a Guardian and a Destroyer.It has the Creators.The Guardian guards, the Destroyer destroys, and the Creators create.It is depressing to believe that you are powerless.Yet, this is exactly what the inhabitants of the Multiverse are.They believe the Guardian protects them and that the Destroyer kills them. They see the Creators as far away gods, or they do not see them at all.They are wrong.They are pawns in the eyes of the Creators.They are the actors for a show.Nothing matters.Unless, of course,you can make a good story.
Relationships: Sans/Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Error looked out into the endless galaxy.  
He knew the constellations by soul, how the swirls of colors mixed and clashed, the feel of cold night against his bones.  
He smiled.  
With his hard work and dedication, with his determination;  
His goal, his life’s purpose, the end to everything-  
was in sight.  
Laughed- he laughed. Giddy with joy, the Destroyer of Worlds laughed and giggled and shook with pure joy because it was almost over.  
And, he knew just who to share this wonderful milestone with. 

Error stepped back. He needed space for what he was about to do. Digging his heels into hard soil, he sifted through his pockets for the item on his mind.

At least, he tried. 

“Shit! How hard can a vial of stupid- damn it!” Error yelled. He grumbled as his mess of a voice echoed back to him once, twice, and then for a third time.  
He screamed.  
Okay, okay, perhaps he had lost it. That was fine, he could make do with what he had, his plans had not truly been harmed.  
Putting his multiple tongues to good use, he swished his excess magic around in his mouth:  
and spat.  
Swaying side to side, he waited a few moments. When he felt enough time had passed, he called out into the void.

“Ink!”

“Yes?”

Error violently spun around.  
“How the fuck-“  
He stopped.

The Guardian of Worlds stood in front of Error. This, however, was not the surprise.  
There the Guardian stood, and there the Guardian's face sat still and blank.  
Error focused his sight, and what he found wasn’t… terrible. Ink still had color within his sockets, sash and paints still hung loose across his body.  
Yet, his expression was blank.  
Error’s nonexistent stomach dropped.

Ink broke the moment with a tilt of his head. The line that formed his mouth thin and straight. 

Error planted his feet into the ground.  
He lifted up his arms, dust shining across his fingertips. 

“And now!” 

The world became filled to the brim with blue.

“FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE-“

“Why is one fourth of the Multiverse missing?”

“END!”

Error stood, strings still pulled taut around the world.  
Ink stared.

Error coughed, he shook his head, “I’m, uh, getting to that.”

Ink nodded, waving for him to continue.

Error cleared his nonexistent throat, attempting to continue.

He began,  
“I’m done with this. I’m done. I’ve sat on my ass doing nothing for too long, only destroying an AU or two a week. I’m done. I want to finish my job, and I want to do it as soon as possible. And,-“  
He paused, fishing the true important object out of his coat pocket.  
“I know you’ll brush me off. Tell me that no, I don’t have the guts. But I want to prove it to you, prove that I really don’t care and I will finish my job.”  
In Error’s hands was a human soul. A bright red, glowing, and currently intact human soul. 

In less than a second it became wrapped in blue, blue strings.  
“I’m going to destroy Outertale. My quote on quote favorite AU. And, you are going to watch.”

Ink did not react.

“Actually, I did destroy most of it. Well, all of it besides the human soul,” he tightened his strings, creating a pulse of energy around the area, “you’re just lucky, you get to stand there and watch me do the easy part.”

Ink still, did not react.

Error laughs, “what? Got nothing to say Guardian?” He spat the last word, venom coating the syllables.

“Why is one fourth of the Multiverse missing?”  
Ink said, his expression still blank.

Error blinked, “oh that? Just a few strings I managed to pull,” he laughed at that, “I just got to work. Nothing too special.” He shrugged.

Ink bobbed his head up and down, the gears in his skull turning.

“Get on with it, then.”

Error nearly choked. That was not the response he had been expecting. But, what was it people say? Never look a gift horse in the mouth? He wasn’t sure, but he decided he’d continue without any change.

“If you say so,” are the words that marked the destruction of Outertale. 

Error yanked down.

It was quick and clean.

And, It’s gone, now. The world Error loved so much, is gone.

All that’s left are trails of code in an empty white void.  
That is where Error and Ink are left.

Error smiled a wicked smile. Ink continued to be unreadable.

“Hm,” Ink grunted, “wasn’t actually expecting that”.  
He shifted from foot to foot, bringing a hand to his face in deep thought. Taking a pencil from his endless supply, he jotted down a few notes on his scarf.

Error scoffed. 

Ink ignored him.

“So, do you want to be friends? Or at least stop destroying?” 

“No!” Error screamed.

Ink continued, unphased,  
“are you sure? Error, there’s a place for you in the Multiverse. We’ve had times of peace. I know you can do it. Why don’t you come with me. No decisions need to be made tonight, you can think about it. But, why don’t you just come with me. You don’t have to do this.”

Error paused.  
He smiled.  
His tone of voice was lilting and whimsical when he spoke,  
“Oh, Ink. But I do. This Multiverse,” he said the word as if it were a curse, “it's full of trash, and I’m the only one willing to take care of it.”

Ink hmhped. 

“Then, seeing as you’re an actual threat now. Seeing as the Creators have forsaken me. Either you’re going to have to stop what you’re doing, or I’m going to have to kill you, pal.”

Error laughed, and he laughed hard.

“Kill me? As if that’s not what you’ve been trying to do for years. How has that worked out for you? Huh? And the Creators. Ah, the Creators. They abandoned you long ago, squid. If those are my decisions, then I guess it’s time for me to die.”  
Error laughed once more.  
“Excuse me, then I guess it’s time for you to die.”

This was punctuated with the sound of Ink hurling his paint brush at Error. It collided with a smack and sent the glitch skidding across the floor.  
Ink sprinted, jumping over Error while grabbing the brush and covering everything within a fifteen foot radius with a splatter of paint.

Error struggled to his feet with his strings at the ready.  
They shot out, binding Ink’s legs together and causing him to crash onto his face.

Ink grunted, but this didn’t stop him for long. Getting up before Error could react, inky bones pinned the glitch’s coat sleeves to the ground.

Error was used to this move, quickly discarding the piece of clothing with only a small huff.

However within seconds, Error was blasted with ink.

“Hah! What are you trying to do, paint me like one of your stupid-“

He screamed.

The ink and paint that covered the glitch began to boil.

Error fell to his knees.  
He writhed, blind from panic.  
Bones cracked  
and snapped  
and disintegrated.

Ink walked over. Expression, blank.

A summoned bone dark with ink and sharp as knives lay in the Guardian’s hands.  
He kneeled to eye level of the broken Destroyer.

“Goodbye, friend,” he whispered.  
The Guardian ran a hand along the side of the Destroyer's face. Gently, he brushed a tear away.

He raised the weapon.

And, he did not strike.

“Hm, guess The Creators aren’t satisfied yet,” Ink mumbled. The bone fell to the ground with a clatter.

Ink paused to take in his surroundings.  
He shook his head and cracked a few knuckles,  
“Well, if a story is what they want, then it’ll be a story they’ll get.”

With that The Guardian disappeared into nothingness.

All Error could feel was pain.  
Granted, that was his usual state of mind. But this? This was pain. He didn’t know how long he’d been here, he didn’t know if he wanted that question answered.

He was in pain.

He struggled once more against the endless void; Tattered jacket in arms like a stuffed animal to a child.

He wanted out. He wanted to be home.  
Home wasn’t much different, but it was still home, to him. Somewhere familiar, somewhere comforting, somewhere safe.

The glitch focused.  
He focused on home, he focused on anywhere but here.

A portal opened beneath him.  
Error sighed with relief, instantly slipping unconscious.

However, where he ended up was in fact, not home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! Welcome to a story birthed of some small concepts I had that turned into something Much Bigger Than Expected. Please be kind if the grammar is horrendous, my friend (the one who kindly is letting me post on their account) and editor is supposed to edit tomorrow but I am impatient 💕. I have a lot planned for this story, and I hope I can see it all the way to the end.  
> Thank you for reading!  
> Please leave kudos if you enjoyed and a comment I’d you’d like!!
> 
> Ink belongs to @Comyet on Tumblr  
> Error belongs to @loverofpiggies on Tumblr


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue and Dream use their singular shared braincell. Error nearly chokes to death on a marshmallow.

“It’s concerning.”

“I’m not trying to argue. I agree!”

“But why.”

“Uh, why would I agree with you?”

“No, no, not that, sorry. Why would one fourth just…. vanish in less than a day? There’s signs of destruction. Yet, he’s never done anything on this scale before.”

“Maybe it’s not him then? I don’t like the thought, but it could be someone else.”  
“… If that were the case I think we’d have a lot more problems on our hands.”

“If it is him, I'm pretty sure he’s been working with Nightmare. If I’m right, it must have been beneficial for both of them. Why would he risk turning that relationship sour?

“I don’t know. We don’t know enough to know, I think.”

“... I guess you’re right. Either way, if I’m not happy then I don’t think Nightmare’s gonna be happy either. I’m rather worried. More so since nothing has happened yet..”

“We should keep a lookout. Cross will be back in a few hours right? We’ll debrief him on it. Oh! I should give him some of that hot chocolate I ma-“

“Blue?”

“Yeah, Dream?”

“I’m quite concerned.”

“Aw, Dream, I promise it’ll be ok. We’ll work things out. We always do, right?.”

“Uh, actually, I was talking about the fact that the Destroyer of Worlds is currently taking a nap on our couch.”

“Oh.”

Blue whipped around. And, sure enough, The Destroyer of Worlds was dead asleep on their couch.  
The two skeletons stared at the glitch. Then they stared at each other.

“What,” Dream said.

“The fuck,” Blue continued.

There was silence.

With shaky breath Blue whispered, “hey, uh, he doesn’t look too good.”

Dream nodded, and then processed.

“Why do we care?”

“I…”

Blue looked at Error. The Destroyer’s clothes were in tatters. He was missing a few ribs, part of his tibia was completely snapped off. And, oddly, he looked burnt.   
However, this was only the beginning of a long list of injuries. To put it simply, The Destroyer looked like a mess.  
A mess currently sleeping in their secret hideout on their couch.

Blue sighed, “I think you’re not going to like this.”  
Dream turned his gaze to him and Blue avoided looking him in the face, “I think we need to help him.”

Dream opened his mouth but before he could speak his mind he was cut off by Blue’s shaky voice, “he wouldn’t help us. By not helping him, we are stooping as low as he.”

Dream shut his mouth.

“I have a lot to say to that, but I agree with not letting him die. He may have important information,” Dream sighed.

The skeletons looked together once more.  
Then they got to work.

/  
/

When Error awoke he knew he was not in the right place.

His eye sockets opened to… color.  
That was definitely, absolutely, not right.

Fuck.

He groaned, stretching his limbs.

A wave of pain wrecked his entire body.  
That wasn’t right, either.

What happened?

He sighed and nestled into… softness? He wasn’t in the anti-void, he wasn’t in Nightmare’s castle, and he wasn’t in Outertale.

Fuck.

Of course he wasn’t in Outertale, he destroyed it! He didn’t feel well enough to address the mix of feelings gathering in his soul, so he decided to ignore and attempt to forget.   
And, thank the voices in his head that he wasn’t in Nightmare’s castle. Now that was somewhere he didn’t want to be. 

He shifted once again. Maybe wherever he is isn’t terrible? It was definitely comfortable, the color could be removed, though. Yeah, yeah, he could get used to this.

Wait, no.  
He’s wrong. He’s very wrong. 

“Uh, don’t move?”

A monster covered in mostly blue, a skeleton maybe? spoke.   
Error already hated them.

“Uh, yeah. Don’t move, we’re armed!”

A monster, this time in mostly gold, halfheartedly yelled out.

He focused his eyes.  
He crashed.

/  
/

Blue sighed, “I think we broke him.”

Dream loosened his hold on his bow, letting it fall to his side.  
He brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed. He was getting a migraine.

“Let’s just… sit down and think this through,” Dream said.

They both sat down. Dream began playing with the fur of the rug. 

Leaning back, Blue focused on the Destroyer who was once again fast asleep.  
His voice was soft when he spoke, “I think we need a better plan.”

“Yep,” Dream replied.  
He didn’t seem aware of his words or actions as his fingers began weaving braids into the rugs surface.

The floorboards of the treehouse creaked as a gust of wind passed by.

Blue sighed. He leaned over and grabbed his mug from the coffee table.  
He took a sip.  
He stared at the brown liquid, eyes trailing the floating marshmallows.

“Hey, Error likes chocolate, right?”

Dream shrugged in response.

Blue gently shook the mug, watching as the marshmallows collided with each other.

“Maybe we should give him a sort of peace offering? Try to make it less likely that he’ll murder us on the spot?”

Dream looked up. The rug was now almost one eighth tiny braids. He pondered, and then he nodded.

“Yeah, let’s try that.”

/  
/

When Error awoke for the second time he nearly crashed, again.  
However, he didn’t get the chance.  
A mug with hot liquid in it was forced into his hands and tilted up towards his mouth.  
He instinctively began to drink.   
And, he was quite pleased.

Hot chocolate liquid hit his many tongues. Instantly, he relaxed.  
Error didn’t even care to look up at who was whispering hurriedly, he was in pure bliss and nothing could change that.

Except, for the marshmallow that entered his throat.

He choked.

“Shit, shit! I think we’ve killed him!”  
One of the skeletons yelled.

“What do we do! If we murder a murderer then there’s still a murderer in the world!”  
The other replied, just as loud. 

“Blue, you’ve killed a man.”

“Oh, yeah.”  
“...”  
“It was an accident.”

The two skeletons continued to talk while Error continued to have a coughing fit.

Finally, the marshmallow passed his throat. And damn, it was pretty good.  
Error took another sip.

The two skeletons stopped, and stared.

Error looked up and stared back.

Silence.

“So, uh, hi?”  
Error realized the owner of the voice was none other than Dream.

“Do you… uh, want more hot chocolate?”  
And that voice, which was usually filled with energy, belonged to Blue.

Error blinked.  
“... yes.”

Blue moved into action and within seconds Error’s mug was refilled.

“So…,” Dream began, “why are you on our couch?”

Uncomfortable silence.

“... I don’t know. Why does your existence hurt my eyes?”

This didn’t phase Dream, and he continued,  
“you appeared on our couch. In our very much hidden and protected base. How?”

The glitch took a moment, eyes wandering around his surroundings. It was bright and surprisingly big. From the view out the window he could tell he was high up. He shook his head and shrugged.

“I don’t know. Blame the damn ink-stain, that’s what I always do. And, just so you know, if I wasn’t half dead and you didn’t have the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted, you wouldn’t be here to ask me those stupid questions.”

Blue summoned a bone and Dream lifted his bow.

Error took another sip.

“My magic is drained. I know you know. You’ve kept me alive for a reason, I want to know that reason.”

Dream and Blue seemed to paralyze. They looked at each other and nodded.

Blue sat down on the coffee table in front of Error. Dream walked over to his side.

“So,” Blue started, “why are you injured?”

“Why should I answer that?”

“You’ll get more hot chocolate.”

Error grunted.  
“Add in a bag of marshmallows and we’re good.”  
“And simple, blame the ink-stain.”

“Ink?”

Dream shuddered at the name. Blue placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah.”

Blue took a moment to think.  
“Did you destroy one fourth of the multiverse?”

Error laughed. He smiled a wicked smile, his voice sounded far off and dangerous when he spoke,  
“who do you think? Of course! Yes, that was yours truly.”

Blue hummed in understanding.  
He opened his mouth to speak again, but he was cut off by Dream’s voice, unusually dark and serious,  
“why did Ink beat you to near death?”

Error rolled his eye lights.  
“For destroying one fourth of the Multiverse, I presume.”

“No. Why didn’t he kill you.”

Dream stared intently at Error.

The glitch in question paused. He thought back to encounter, and then, it hit him,  
“he nearly did, but just as he was about to he stopped and started saying something like ‘The Creators aren’t satisfied’ or some bullshit like that. Ask me about it and I’d say he overdosed on his stupid paints.”

Dream looked over at Blue.

Error continued,  
“and, you, piss colored abomination. Why do you look like you want to commit a felony when that dumb squid is brought up? He’s a part of your silly little club isn’t he?”

The line of Dream’s jaw tightened. He sat down on the coffee table as Blue began rubbing circles into the shoulder that he was holding.

Blue’s voice was quiet, “it’s, uh, a touchy subject.”  
“Let’s just say that Ink hurt Dream’s feelings. And now it’s just us, and uh, Cross. This place is probably the only place in the Multiverse that Ink can’t access? We worked hard on that, took a long time to figure it out.”  
“Ink wasn’t who he said he was, or wasn’t in a moral sense- to summarize the conflict.”

Error nodded his head in response. Bringing his mug to his mouth, he took a long sip. He picked at his tattered shirt sleeve, mouth stern.  
“Sounds like him.”  
“I’m going to go now. The only reason I’m not killing you right this second is this drink. Give me the recipe and I’ll think about prolonging your deaths for an extra couple of days.”

Blue began to stand up, but Dream gently pushed him back down.

“Hold on,” Dream said, “not so fast.”

Error grunted.

“We’re not done here. You’re magicless, we have weapons. And, knowing Ink, he’ll eventually want to finish his job. This is the only place safe from him. I don’t think you want to leave just yet.”

Dream scooted the coffee table closer, gazing fiercely in Error’s direction.  
“I’d be open to making a deal, if you are.”

Error grunted, again.

“It’s simple. We need information on Nightmare, I know you’ve worked with him. We also would like some more information on how you managed to destroy one fourth on the multiverse. And, we’d like you as some extra backup on our team when needed.”

Error opened his mouth in visible anger, but Dream didn’t let him make a sound,  
“In return. You’d get protection from Ink until you figure out something else, as well as daily hot chocolate.”

The glitch glared, “sounds a bit too much like a truce. And in my experience, truces are worth dirt nothing.”

Dream tsked.  
“That’s where you’re wrong. This would be a deal. And, it would be a deal made with trustworthy people. The only other thing is we wouldn’t want you going and destroying the entire multiverse, that wouldn’t be good for us. If you have to destroy, you would be allowed two universes a week max.”

“I don’t like being controlled.”

“Ironic, coming from the puppet master.”

“You’re feisty, piss abomination. Is this really the only place safe from Ink?”

“The one and only.”

“I’m not willing to be a part of your team.”

“You’d be willing to agree to the other parts, though?”

Error and Dream stared at each other. Blue looked on in mild horror.

Error set his mug down,  
“only until I find a way to destroy that annoying squid. And only until then. Otherwise, I guess it’s a deal.”

Dream had to stop himself from doing a victory dance right there and then. Blue breathed for the first time in what felt like minutes.  
“Welcome onboard!”

“I said I won’t be a part of your stupid team!”

“But you are!”

“I’ll kill you!”

Error attempted to stand up, but instead he fell back over. The impact against the couch making a small thump.

Both Dream and Blue laughed.

“I’ll get some more hot chocola-“

At that moment, Cross entered the treehouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! If you enjoyed please leave kudos and a comment :)). I’d love to hear your thoughts!!
> 
> Error belongs to @loverofpiggies on Tumblr  
> Blue belongs to the AU community  
> Dream belongs to @jokublog on Tumblr  
> Ink belongs to @comyet on Tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! Welcome to a story birthed of some small concepts I had that turned into something Much Bigger Than Expected. Please be kind if the grammar is horrendous, my friend (the one who kindly is letting me post on their account) and editor is supposed to edit tomorrow but I am impatient 💕. I have a lot planned for this story, and I hope I can see it all the way to the end.  
> Thank you for reading!  
> Please leave kudos if you enjoyed and a comment I’d you’d like!!
> 
> Ink belongs to @Comyet on Tumblr  
> Error belongs to @loverofpiggies on Tumblr


End file.
